John Martin Dill

Birth: 30 Jul 1912
in Huntingdon, Carroll, Tennessee, USA

Death: 22 Dec 1999
in Huntingdon, Carroll, Tennessee, USA

Father: John Melburn Dill

Mother: Lela Mae Bennett

Siblings:
Ivy Lee Dill
Mary Alice Dill
Lela Bennett Dill
Lucretia Dill
Donald Edward Dill
Winfred Mitchell Dill
Angelyn N Dill

Spouse: Katherine Stewart

Married: 9 April 1937

Children:
Reba Marilyn
Alice Carolyn
Rosemary Elaine
Warren Harvey
Lela Emily
Charles Martin
Kathy June
Paul Michael
John Anthony
Deborah Jane
Phillip Mitchell

Obituary:
John Martin Dill, 87, of Carroll County, died Wednesday, December 22, at his home after a short illness. He was born July 30, 1912, in Huntingdon, and was the son of the late John Milburn and Lela Bennett Dill. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Iva Lee Haynes and Alice Kilgore. He was a veteran of World War II and served in the Navy as Chief Petty Officer, teaching radio and radar while stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas, and Hutchinson, Kansas. He was a licensed Radio Amateur for over 60 years. He had a First Class FCC License and worked as a Consulting Engineer for several radio stations, including McKenzie, Camden, Union City, and Brownsville. In additon, he installed two-way radios in vehicles for the city police, electric and gas companies.
He wired Huntingdon High School's first intercom system. He was a member of the First Methodist Church and installed their sound system. He began his working career at the age of 12, when he started wiring houses and by the time he was in his teens, he was responsible for keeping Huntingdon's water and electrical systems working. He graduated from Huntingdon High School in 1930. During the big band era, he played clarinet for a band that performed at various events in the area, and in the 1930's, operated the projector at the picture show for silent and later talking films.  His retirement commenced in 1978, after nearly 66 years of owning and operating a Radio and Television Sales and Service Laboratory that he started in the basement of his home.
Throughout his career as well as retirement, he enjoyed educating his children (five engineers, one registered nurse, two accountants, one personnel supervisor, one day care owner, and one beautician), gardening, raising cattle, and traveling out west. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Katherine Stewart Dill; six daughters, Reba Marilyn (Donald) Sullivan, Alice Carolyn (Harold) Buffin, Rosemany Elaine Cotham, Leal Emily (Ralph) Mayo, Katherine June (Joe) Turner and Deborah Jane (Mike) McPeake; five sons, Warren Harvey (Jeannie) Dill, Charles Martin (Carolyn) Dill, Paul Michael (Leesa) Dill, John Anthony (Joannie) Dill and Phillip Mitchell Dill; three sisters, Lela Bennett Angelluci, Lucretia Mann and Angelyn Redford; 27 grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. Services were held Monday, December 27, at Dilday Funeral Home. Burail was in Oak Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers who served were his grandsons Martin Christopher Sullivan, Stephen Ross Buffin, Jeffrey Clayton Lowe, Robret Mitchell Turner, John Antony Dill and Jesse David Henderson. Honorary pallbearers were his grandsons Christopher Allen Tuner, James Randall Dill, John Paul Henderson, Justin Alan Henderson, Christopher Jame Sullivan, Evan Patrick Sullivan, Kevin Blake Mayo, Troy Lee Turner, Daniel Stewart Turner and Michael Grant McPeake.